Railway chief hopes to have five million additional passengers

For the case of lower taxes on Tickets, the group expects a strong increase in passenger numbers. Significantly fewer delays on the railway promises to be the first in three to four years. The group wants to invest after the recent terrorist suspect, nor more in safety. the By Markus Balser, Berlin Markus Balser

Markus Balser came in 2001 to the süddeutsche Zeitung. He is a graduate of the Cologne school of journalism and a diploma in Economics and was first in the economy editorial office in Munich. In 2013, he went to Berlin and reported from there on energy and environmental issues. At the beginning of 2016, he joined the parliamentary team and takes care of to transport and agricultural policies, as well as to the Deutsche Bahn. In 2007, Balser was Nannen, together with Klaus Ott and Hans Leyendecker for the research to the Siemens bribe scandal with the Henri award. In 2008, he was a scholarship holder of the Arthur F. Burns fellowship, a guest editor of the Wall Street Journal in New York.

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Deutsche Bahn expects the introduction of cheaper Tickets due to lower tax rates with a rush on the own trains to follow. "Our analyses show that we could gain over five million additional travelers in long-distance transport for the environmentally friendly Railways," says rail boss Richard Lutz, in an Interview with the süddeutsche Zeitung. Transport Minister, Andreas Scheuer (CSU) had a hit in this week's front yard, to reduce the VAT rate on ICE - and IC-Tickets from 19 to 7 percent, as in the transport. Train drivers should be up to 400 million euros per year, relieved. "We support this proposal without any If and But. It would be wind on the way to a doubling of the passengers," said Lutz.

The need to accept, however, probably even longer, with many delayed trains. The mark of 80 percent on-time trains will exceed the rail only "in three to four years". Last year, nearly 75 percent of the trains were long-distance services on time. "This year, we aim to 76.5 percent in 2020 and then to 78 percent. So, we are crawling our way slowly to the 80 percent ran," says Lutz. "Of a sluggish System such as the railway, one should not expect miracles. We are not on time overnight, but step-by-step better. This is a fight for every Minute of it. Every Day."

rail stands in front of "Renaissance" in the European transport

in view of the recent terrorist suspicion, Deutsche Bahn continues to expand the use of surveillance cameras. "We want to invest with the Federal government heavily in the further Expansion of the video surveillance," said Lutz. Discussion a high two-digit million amount for new technology. "Today there are 7400 cameras on 1100 stations - almost twice as many as in 2012. Alone, 2018, the 30 railway stations with 830 cameras. We just check with the authorities where further," said Lutz.

In the case of the attacks on railway lines in Bavaria and Berlin, the Austrian authorities now speak of a terrorist cell. The have eyes to how vulnerable the power of the web. "We are constantly in close contact with Federal police and other authorities," said Lutz. The Federal police is for the safety of the passengers, with around 5000 officials. From the train 4000 safety employees would come to this. "One hundred percent security, there is never, but we will do what we can," says Lutz.

Lutz also spoke out against political isolationism in Europe. "That Worries me. Because the supposed solution, the foreclosure, the problems. We can only work together to solve problems. A strong Europe is the answer - to each other and not Against each other, secures our future." The railway to benefit from open borders, and stand in European traffic "in front of a Renaissance. The international traffic has been growing for years, even disproportionately," said Lutz. "In 2018, 7.5 percent more travelers were in the cross-border trains on the road".